Opportunity Cost
by Nym13
Summary: Hermione is asked to decide between Harry and School Work...obviously she knows which is more important. R


**AN:** Hi it's **Nym13**, this story is written for one reason only. So that I can I apologize for the delay of Perfectus Femina and I ask that my readers of that fic to have the patience to wait for me. I will finish it, but school is driving me crazy. (It only has 10 chapters and we're nearly there).

Also, I have an announcement to make. I'm thinking of creating a facebook account so I can add my friends and readers here and so that next time I have an announcement I won't make half-baked stories like this just to do so. What do you guys think?

Again, I apologize for the mistakes, I'm on the rush-study-rush.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

XXX

"I have to study." I told my best friend of seven years mechanically as I scribbled away and scratched at my white parchment and spilling black ink here and there so carelessly that it seems as though it's there by design. I was cramming, and rushing everything in, I can't believe that NEWTs was only a week away! I had so many things to prove, so many things I wanted to do, make or change in the future and to do that I needed to be equipped. I needed a good reputation and a superior brain plus a written document that'll give me the right to speak my mind and require from everyone to take me seriously when I do, not to mention-ugh! What is it with Harry and his insistent poking? Doesn't he know I'm trying to finish my mental rant here?

"What?" I glared at him angrily, the little rascal didn't even bat an eyelash, and he even had the nerve to smile, it almost made me envy him for having a perfect set of teeth ever since we were young. I don't think he knows that sometimes I envy him as much as Ron does.

"You've been here for four hours." He had said simply.

"Well, I'm glad to know you can read time, now if you'll excuse me…"

"You're being moody again."

"Harry, I'm busy, can't you see, I'm on the brink at failing here, I have barely studied, I feel as though my brain is empty, and we're about to take the most important test of our lives, just-just, please give me the right to be annoyed at you."

"But everyone's gathered outside for the picnic, you're the only seventh year here."

"There are tons of opportunity for us to have a picnic, and only one opportunity to do well on this exam."

"Well, think about the opportunity cost then…" When Harry said this I almost dropped my quill, what did Harry just say to me?

"What?"

"Opportunity cost is…" He had begun, but I was too surprised by this that I hadn't let him finish his sentence.

"How do you know about Economics?" I asked him almost flabbergasted.

"Well, I do have muggle-roots you know, you're not the only one who reads." My best friend of seven years grinned at me almost proudly, and I flashed him a smile, this is why I liked Harry, I know he takes his education seriously too, and then I remembered I had some serious studying to do and went back to writing down notes.

"Honestly, you don't know what you're going to miss. You're the only one who wouldn't be there at the picnic, it is our last picnic here at Hogwarts, we'll be leaving soon you know." Harry tried to convince me and I could feel himself running those calloused hands of his over his black mop he calls hair, and messing them more as he did so. I sighed, sometimes I hated that he could be so persistent.

"What could possibly happen in one afternoon under the sun? I won't be wasting an hour chatting away when I know there are more opportunities to do so, that's just silly. I'd rather spend it in a more productive way. "

"Your opportunity cost would be the memories you haven't got with us, if you choose this place, if choose to be alone."

"If I do go, my opportunity cost is my NEWTs exam, and that is something that will make a big difference in my life. Can't you see Harry, I'm not like you, I don't do well on having fun and I'm sorry."

"Can't you see Hermione, I'm not here to pester you, and I'm here because I want my best friend with me when I make memories of this afternoon. I want that when I'm old and the two of us our sitting on some bench in a park we'd get to look back on this and laugh, or cry, because we remembered how much fun our last picnic in Hogwarts was. I don't want to just tell you about it, I want you to be there too. Memories lasts forever too, especially the really good ones." My best friend wasn't making any sense to me, he might as well be speaking in another tongue, I can't figure out how a memory of a picnic afternoon would be worth more than my precious studying time but it seemed as though he really wanted it.

"Why do you really want me there, can't you have fun without me?"

"Well, it's because all my important memories were shared with you, all of my firsts too, first hug, first kiss, first visit to my parents' graves and of course you've always been there, it'll be weird if I look back on this day and you won't be in my memory." I sighed, how can I refuse Harry's request any longer? I've always known he was my weakness, I always do this, I always put up with him and his ridiculousness. I should be the sensible one, the girl that listens to her brain, yet with him, it's mostly instinct and my heart that does the work.

"You better be worth my future." I told him in mock exasperation and slamming my book shut and tucking all of my parchment inside my ever dependable beaded bag. The silly boy grinned at me before standing up and nearly dragging me all the way out of the library.

His hand was gripping me tightly, he had done so countless of times, but I still felt the tingles. It's still rough, with memories of scars and pains, but it's strong, stronger than most and saved lives, one of which was my own. And it's warm like the kind man he is, and comforting like the feeling I get when he's with me. And it always fits with mine, and has never failed to let me go. I have always felt lost when he lets me go.

When he holds my hand this tight, and when we run this fast it's usually to save our lives. But now, with rushing feet, pounding hearts but grinning faces I knew, we were running towards life, and this was a good new memory of Harry and I.

We were finally at the clearing and nearing Hogwarts' lake when Harry stopped abruptly and faced me. We were panting and trying to catch our breaths. I can see my friends happily setting up the picnic site clearly excited of it all, and I realized I traded an hour of anger, frustration and business of studying for, this laughter and company. And I realized, Harry was right I don't really want to be alone, and that I want to have this memory with him too.

"Why did we stop?" I asked him and if it's possible his smile widened.

"I like to savor the moment of seeing your face and not regretting that you trusted me that you believed in me." I scrunched up my nose at him, such a silly boy with silly thoughts.

"I don't regret all the decisions I made for you." I told him firmly and this time he gave me a small gentle smile.

"Hey, am I worth it? Your future I mean, it always been important to you, your dreams and studying, this all this as you say is just something we can do after all the important things…"

"Harry, I did tell you there are more important things than books and cleverness."

"Friendship." He told me teasingly and I rolled my eyes at him, but agreeing, nonetheless.

"Yes, thank you for reminding me that. I guess with Voldemort gone I went back to fearing expulsion more than death."

"I know, but you never finished your sentenced back then." I blushed when Harry told me this, I don't know if he knows I harbored a small crush on him when I was twelve, how could I not when he was the only one that noticed me, and that he had saved my life? I fidgeted nervously.

"Come on, let's go, we have a picnic to join remember?" I told him, as I begun dragging him towards our friends, I can hear Harry laughing at me and this caused me to be somewhat annoyed at him.

"There's another reason why I don't want to go there just yet." Harry told me.

"What?" I asked rather annoyed by the self satisfied grin he was now sporting.

"Because there's a memory I want to make of just us."

"Really now?" I knew Harry was my past, still my present, and maybe he'll still be there in the future. I imagine making memories with just the both of us wouldn't be too hard. Harry has been and still is my life.

"Yeah." He told me as he took a step closer, his emerald eyes peering into mine. I can feel him moving closer, but then maybe it's just the world out of focus, it's always this way when he gets near me.

"And?"

_And he did something he has never done before and kissed me on the lips._

XXX

If only Harry had the initiative to fall in love with Hermione first? LOL.

Well, Hermione is me for the past weeks, I don't think I have studied as much as I do now. So yeah, I hope someone will drag me somewhere and make me have fun, because they seriously think I'm killing myself, sadly no one cares for me in that way. Seriously studying is painful and hard.

This story is so ordinary and I don't think I'll write anymore of fics like this, but once in awhile I guess it's alright to write something not too serious or profound. Consider this as a break from my usual style.

Review.


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